Published on Thursday 3rd April 2014
A GALLERY celebrating the mining heritage of Cannock Chase has opened its doors following a £150,000 transformation.
Mining Memories, at The Museum of Cannock Chase, provides a new, permanent coal mining gallery for the local community, allowing people to experience a ‘day in the life’ of a miner and explore features of the mines. Visitors can try out interactive displays including a crawl-through tunnel.
The project, which received a £97,600 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, has also created an education package to make sure people of all ages get the maximum benefit from their experience at the museum.
Stuart Murray, Chief Executive of leisure and culture provider WLCT which manages the museum, said: “Mining Memories is a spectacular exhibition which brings the history of the Cannock Chase coalfield to life, providing a place for local people to go to reminisce and for young people in particular to learn about this important part of the district’s heritage. I’m delighted that we have been able to bring this project to fruition.”
Councillors were invited to visit the gallery earlier this week for a sneak preview of the gallery.
Councillor Christine Mitchell, Leader of Culture and Sport said: “The newly transformed gallery is a wonderful exhibition which captures the mining history of our District and brings it to life. I would encourage everyone to visit the Museum and find out about the District’s heritage.”
Reyahn King, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands, said: “Coal mining was the backbone of the local economy and now the stories of the miners and the communities it supported can be told, in an imaginative and engaging way, especially to the younger generation.”
A special event celebrating the opening of the new gallery is being planned for June 28.
The museum is open from Monday-Friday, 11am-4pm (last admission 3.30pm) until Good Friday. From Easter Saturday until the end of September it is open daily, 11am-5pm (last admission 4.30pm).

The May meeting of the CCHMS will be held on Wednesday May 23rd at the Museum of Cannocl Chase, Hednesford ay 3.00pm. Admission is free and all are welcome.

The subect is “Licensed Mines” – Brian Rollins

The society has great news after a long delay and many letters email and phone conversation we have finally been given permission to erect our Information Signs on all disused collieries were the land belongs to the County Council, this includes the road side verge were the actual site of the colliery would be liable to vandalism.

The information sign at West Cannock No. 5 Colliery

This has taken a very long time but we got there so the production line can now go full tilt.

I’m sorry that posts have been thin on the ground for the last few days, I’ve been catching up with museum paperwork ready for a meeting this afternoon. The meeting went well, I think. We left feeling pleased anyway! We’ve received some nice items in the last week or so.Some nice Hornby ‘0’ gauge rolling stockAnd one of our friends found two ‘Dinky’ wagons to make up the set with the tank engine.

We’ve also had a small collection of souvenir badges and some nice colliery plates – one of which is shown here.

Don’t forget the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society meeting, next Tuesday 12th October, at the Museum of Cannock Chase from 7.00pm to 9.00pm. A talk by Alan Dean about the West Cannock Colliery.

Finally, a nice loco worksplate, BTC No.2608 from 1958, which was carried by the loco Holwell No.17.

Off to the Museum of Cannock Chase this morning to attend the AGM of the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society – it’s nice to know what’s going on and, let’s face it, without coal mines there would be no Chasewater Railway. There are some interesting talks coming up in the months ahead – on April 13th, our old friend Ron Bradbury is giving a talk about John Robinson McClean – one time owner of the Cannock Chase Colliery Company and the South Staffordshire Railway (not a lot of coal went down the cut for a while!). In July there will be a talk about the War Camps, I’m afraid that I missed the details about this one, and in October, Alan Dean is giving a talk about West Cannock (the book on this subject should be out well before then). On Saturday, 17th July there is a 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the closing of Brereton Colliery and the opening of Lea Hall Colliery at Brereton Parish Hall. Together with school visits, etc., the new committee will have a very busy year ahead – good luck gentlemen.

At the end of the AGM it was off to Chasewater to do a bit of office work (I call it work, anyway!!) and on the way into the park, the latest evidence of Dave’s handiwork.This was erected by two of our young lads – Albert and Ray!! First class job all round.

As people probably know by now, Linda will not be in action at the Winter Gala.Something definitely missing……Ah – there they are!!

After a frustrating couple of hours on the PC I was off home before I threw the thing into the pool! Mind you, the way it’s going down now. I don’t think I could reach!I reckon it’s going to be a long couple of years before it’s back to it’s former glory.